Did you know that there is a “correct” sequence of the four suits in a Tarot Deck? I didn’t either! Back in the day, I thought that the suits came packed in the order favored by the deck creator or publisher. In fact, I would order the suits in a way that I preferred: Wands, Swords, Cups, and Pentacles. Turns out I was wrong! There is actually a method to the madness! There is a very good reason why the sequence of four suits in a Tarot Deck is: Wands, Cups, Swords, and Pentacles. And that reason lies within the basic structure of the Tree of Life in Kabbala. Let’s find out more, shall we?
For those just starting out in Tarot, choosing the right deck is a well-established problem, as there are so much choice. Most people working with Tarot will tell you to ‘follow your intuition’ when picking your deck. This is an excellent piece of advice that makes good sense. Reading Tarot is about accessing your intuition, so finding a deck that speaks to your intuition is vital. But, ‘following your intuition’, especially when you are just starting out, is easier said than done. Here are some practical tips to consider when choosing a Tarot deck.
Among the 78 Tarot Cards in a standard Tarot Card Deck, there are a few Tarot Cards that have similar or common meanings. Just as the imagery of each card differs from one another, these meanings carry subtle but important differences within them that affect the interpretation of that Tarot Card in a Tarot Card Reading.
I found Robin Scott’s Urban Tarot Deck as I was navigating through the labyrinth that is the Internet, and ended up in love at first sight! ? This gorgeous deck is the result of a result of a very successful Kickstarter campaign in 2012.
The Urban Tarot Deck draws inspiration from the various locales of New York City — the streets, the buildings, the parks, the monuments, the people — everything about this lively and vibrant city is the source material for the images of this deck.
The latest news that I’ve heard is that the Urban Tarot Deck will be published again through U.S. Games Systems. However, Robin still has about 200 copies of the deck (as of 6 March 2017) — which could very well be considered to be the ‘First Edition’ ‘Collectors’ copies. ??
Psst: Deck Collectors! Get yourself a copy while the stocks last!
Cards of The Urban Tarot Deck
Each card is about 2 ¾ inches wide and 4 ¼ inches tall, with rounded corners. The surface has a smooth finish and the card is thick, but not too thick. The cards shuffle well during readings.
The back design of each card reminds one of the subway maps that you can find all over NYC. The card back is totally reversible, so if you use reversed cards in your reading, this deck is perfect!
The card images of The Urban Tarot Deck are so gorgeous, that I wished that they covered a bigger area on the card. However, this wasn’t a deal-breaker for me.
Psst: I also hear that this is going to be fixed with the US Games version.
You can see the card images on Robin’s site. And if you are into using Tarot Apps, you can find The Urban Tarot App on the App Store as well as on Google Play.
LWB and/or Book
The Urban Tarot Deck doesn’t come with an LWB, but there is a full-fledged book that you will have to buy separately. The book features full color images of each of the cards on one side, and a detailed description of the card imagery on the other. You will also find information such as the source of inspiration in NYC, and the models who posed for the pictures. Another wonderful thing about the book is that the edges of the pages are colored to sync with the suits — so it makes searching for the card meanings quite easy!
In my personal opinion, this deck is perfect for those who have a good base with Rider-Waite-Smith based card imagery, and want to explore the Thoth based imagery. This deck features images that are a beautiful amalagamation of both. So visual storytellers can find peace while working with Thoth-based symbols as well.
Although the book provides a lot of information about the various places and situations and people who inspired the designs, and why a certain sort of imagery was used, you may benefit by reading up on the Thoth system to take your readings to the next level. However, even without that, using a storytelling approach, you will still find the images beautifully expressive and informative.
One thing I do miss is having reversed card interpretations. But that isn’t a deal breaker either. If you’ve worked with Tarot for a while, and you use reversals, it isn’t rocket science to figure out the interpretations. ?
Here are some of my favorite cards from The Urban Tarot Deck!
Majors, Minors, Courts, Suits
The deck follows the Thoth system. Therefore, Major Arcana 8 is Justice, and Major Arcana 11 is Strength.
Also the Court Cards follow the Thoth system of nomenclature and hierarchy. Starting with the Princess card, we move up via the Prince, the Queen, and finally, the Knight card.
The Suit of Pentacles is called the Suit of Disks.
And yes, unlike the Thoth deck, these cards have stuff going on in the background of the suit images — which totally makes this deck a great mix of the best parts of both Rider-Waite-Smith and Thoth systems.
Reading with This Deck
I have had a ton of fun reading with these cards. Not only are the images deeply evocative, but they are also highly relateable. These are images not from some fantasy land, or imaginary place, or historical space and time. These are images from the world we live in, and see all around us. They are real, raw, and poignant. And they make a whole lot of sense.
Video
I even made a video about this deck where I talk a bit more (as usual) and give you a peek at the cards. Take a look…
https://youtu.be/gGrLWybxkHI
Giveaway
Robin has been so generous by sending me another copy of the deck and book (which she signed, btw!!) for a giveaway. So get on it, and make sure you’ve entered! The contest ends 31st March 2017.
. a Rafflecopter giveaway
.
Your Turn
What did you think of this deck? Did you like the images? Did they speak to you just like they did to me? And if you already have this deck, what are your experiences with this deck? Tell me in the comments…
The Cathar Tarot is a new deck that will be released on the 20th of December, 2016. I recieved a copy of The Cathar Tarot from the deck publishers in return for a honest review.
To be honest, as I started out, I did not have much knowledge of the Cathars. And I don’t claim to be an expert either. However, from a complete novice’s point of view, this deck does create a great entry point to get to know of the life and the culture of a people that have, sadly, been obliterated from this world.
The Cathar Tarot
The Cathars existed during the Middle Ages, and were found in Italy, Germany, Flanders, England, and France. The name ‘Cathar’ seems to have been derived from the Greek word ’katharoi’, which means ‘the pure’. They rejected several formalized beliefs of the Roman Catholic Church and believed that the world was not created by God, but by the Demiurge, a reflection of the real Creator. This world, therefore, was a poor copy of humanity’s true home, which is an earthly paradise where there was no ‘fall’, no ‘sin’, and no one was expelled from Eden.
Some interesting facts about the Cathars include: they were vegetarian, and they had pretty open view about sex. More than that though, the Cathars were a gentle people, and had very tolerant views about other religions.
Ultimately, these people were branded as heretics by the Church and were systematically hunted down and slaughtered.
A number of legends still prevail about them, chief among which is the belief that they held the secret to the Holy Grail, or even the Grail itself.
Deck Theme
The Cathar Tarot Card Deck is an interesting depiction of the beliefs, life and lifestyle of the Cathars in the Middle Ages. The images draw upon the beliefs of the Cathars, and then upon an ancient belief system called ‘Gnosticism’.
Deck Creator(s) and Artist(s)
The deck creator, John Matthews, and the artist, Wil Kinghan have used the universal symbolism and appeal of the Tarot structure to share the wisdom of these wonderful people with the rest of the world.
I liked how the artist has used a very interesting drawing style for the card images — you often find art and fresco drawings from the Middle Ages drawn in this exact way! I thought that this was a great way to connect with the time-period that the Cathars existed.
The Cathar Tarot: The Cards
The Cathar Tarot Card Deck comes packaged in a very sturdy box that holds the cards and a 112-page book that contains full color illustrations.
The cards are approximately 3 inches wide and 4.5 inches tall, and have rounded edges. The card stock itself is pretty thick, and so the entire deck is a bit of a thicker pile compared to, say, the Universal Waite Tarot Card Deck.
Regardless, shuffling the deck isn’t that hard for me — and I have relatively smaller hands. Probably the reason lies with the surface of the cards which is smooth and not matte.
Back Design
The back design is pretty, and features the Cathar seal. This is a part of the armorial bearings of the Counts of Toulouse and can be seen in the Languedoc region of France, where the Cathars had their final stronghold. This design is therefore also known as the ‘Cathar Cross’.
Due to the coloring though, one is able to easily know if the card is upright or reversed. For those of us who use reversed cards in readings (like I do), back designs like these can be a bit frustrating. However, I overcome this by closing my eyes while pulling the cards — that way I don’t get affected regardless of the card’s direction.
LWB
and/or Book
The deck is accompanied by a 112-page full color illustrated book.
The guidebook contains quite a bit of information about the Cathars, their way of life, and their belief systems. The card illustrations for the Major Arcana cards are big (take an entire page) but are comparitively smaller for the Minor Arcana.
The font size is pretty small though, so you may need your reading glasses for this one.
What I really liked about the guidebook is that the information is presented slowly, and it builds upon itself as you keep reading. As you read through the information of the Major Arcana cards, you learn more and then a bit more about the Cathars’ life and belief.
While I am not completely averse to info-dumps, I did like this approach very much — somehow, I wanted to keep on reading and thus learning more about these lovely people.
Meanings (Upright and Reversed)
For both, the Major and Minor Arcana cards the description included the information about the context and the imagery, and keywords for the ‘Light’ and ‘Dark’ aspects of the card’s meanings.
This is particularly useful for those of us who use reversed card meanings in our readings.
More Information
The back of the book contains a section where the deck creators talk about how one can get to know the deck better, and activate the cards. Three spreads, the ‘Cathar Cross Spread’, and the ‘Court of Wisdom Spread’, and the ‘Grail Knight Spread’ are included, along with a sample reading.
Finally, there are a few passages from actual Cathar writings that add to our knowledge of the Cathars and their beliefs and lifestyle. And if you are truly drawn into this, there is a short list of books and websites where you can learn even more.
The Cathar Tarot: Majors. Minors. Courts. Suits.
The deck follows the Rider-Waite-Smith format — the Minor Arcana cards have pictures on them. And if you have experience working with the Rider-Waite-Smith or similarly-formatted deck, learning this deck won’t be hard.
In keeping with the deck’s theme, the suits are named as follows:
Wands: Book of Shields
Swords: Book of Swords
Cups: Book of Love
Pentacles: Book of Wisdom
The names of pretty much all the Major Arcana cards are also in keeping with the deck’s theme. Here however, they do not follow the Rider-Waite-Smith pattern — Major Arcana 8 is Justice, and Major Arcana 11 is Strength.
A comparative list of the names of the Major Arcana cards is also provided at the back of the book.
The Cathar Tarot: Reading with this Deck
As you may have seen, I’ve been doing my daily card readings for this month, on Instagram, with this deck, and the information flows so smoothly from the imagery!
My Experiences and Thoughts
Since this is a new deck for me, I do carry the book with me and glance through it while I look at the card image. But, even if I didn’t have the book, I wouldn’t suffer much. The imagery of the cards lends itself very beautifully to the storytelling process and to an intuitive reading.
Knowing the meanings of the symbols and the context specific to the Cathars beliefs and lifestyle does help — but if you are in a bit of a rush, and can’t refer to the book, then too, you won’t go wrong if you just mined the cards’ imagery and used your intuition to seek guidance. IMHO, this is the best thing about the Cathar Tarot Card Deck.
Video
I also made a video where I talk about this deck, and where you can get a sneak peek at the cards as well. Enjoy!
https://youtu.be/ZSeUHqIE75g
The Cathar Tarot Giveaway
The fun thing is that I accidentally ended up getting two copies of the deck in the mail. That meant only one thing. A Giveaway!
So go ahead and enter yourself into the giveaway thingy below. The giveaway ends 12 a.m. EST on the 9th of January 2017, and I will announce the winners on my Instagram and FaceBook, and also in the Comments section of this blog. The deck will be sent via USPS (and I think I ought to be able to provide a tracking number as well).
The giveaway has since ended, but you can still buy a copy of this lovely deck!
Your Turn…
What do you think about this wonderful deck? Would you want to buy it for yourself? Or do you already have it? Do share your thoughts and experiences with me in the comments section below. It would be interesting to hear what you thought of this deck.
Exploring different card-based divination systems, that have cards either with or without images and symbolism, and are used for guidance, prediction and fortune telling purposes.
Ever since I had my first Tarot Card Reading about 10 years ago, I’ve been in love with the Tarot cards. The images, the colors, the art, the swirling magic of the stories that the images seem to tell me — all of it has in turn enthralled, intrigued, befriended, taught and guided me for all these years. However, my curiousity and some really happy coincidences have led to to discover that apart from the Tarot, there are a few more card-based divination systems out there.
Naturally, I have explored them — liking some for one reason or the other, and not really connecting with some. Today, I would like to share with you the different card-based divination systems that I’ve encountered and explored.
A Quick Disclaimer…
Just Because…
This list is by no means complete. These are just the systems that I’ve encountered. If you know of any others, please share — put in a comment below the article! Thank You in Advance for that! ?
I am aware that there are card-based versions of systems such as I-Ching and Runes. Since they are a migration of the original system, they haven’t been included in this list.
FYI..
I’ve also made a video about this, where I talk about these systems. You can have a quick look at the different decks that I have from these different systems and see what I’m talking about.. 🙂 I’ve embedded the video towards the end of this post, so just scroll down…
Let’s Begin…
Without any further ado, here’s the list:
Playing Cards / Cartomancy
Cartomancy is defined as “fortune telling by interpreting a random selection of playing cards”.
This is how it all began, I think. The deck of of 52 cards divided into four groups (hearts, diamonds, spades, and clubs) was used for divination purposes. A random draw of a certain number of cards from a well shuffled deck would be arranged in a specific layout and interpreted based on certain rules and ‘meanings’.
Personally, I haven’t explored this system — mostly because there aren’t images on the cards which will stir up my imagination and intuition — which seem to be a requirement for me.
However, it does remain quite a popular system of divination. A quick Google search will lead you to some really interesting websites where you can learn more about this topic.
In Summary…
Images: None. Just the suit symbols. Face cards (Jack, Queen, King) have images.
Card Order:Four suits (clubs, spades, hearts, diamonds) of 13 cards each. Cards are numbered 1 through to 10, plus 3 face cards (Jack, Queen, King). Additionally 2 or 3 Joker cards.
Storytelling: A number of spreads can be used. Interpretation has a very logical approach and can include counting the numbers and positions of the cards.
Playing With Others: Personally haven’t explored this. But this system ought to play well with other systems like Tarot and Lenormand.
Guidance Value: No idea since I haven’t explored this system, but based on what I’ve read so far, it could very well be logical and systematic, and practical.
Availability of Deck: Easily Available anywhere.
To Learn: Books (on Amazon), Websites, and Videos (You Tube).
Lenormand Cards
The next evolutionary step for Cartomancy was when the 52-card deck was reduced to a 32-card Piquet deck by removing the cards 2s through the 6s.
This ‘Piquet’ deck was then later enhanced into a 36-card Deck, and the playing card symbols were substituted with actual symbols that was also loosely based on the popular ‘Game of Hope’ card game. This deck was then named after Mlle. Lenormand (1772-1843), a popular fortune teller based in France during the time of Napoleon. The system of divination using cards seems to have gained much renown due to her notoriously famous client-list and number of books she authored.
In my observation, the system of interpreting these cards is very logical and linear, while also incorporating intution. It is very unlike the Tarot in several respects. For instance, while reading with these cards, only the symbol on the card is important for the purposes of divining the meaning — contents of the card’s imagery bear no importance to the interpretation. However, just like in the Tarot spreads, the placement of the card in the ‘line’ or spread is important for the purposes of interpreting the message, and it always comes back to the context of the question that was asked of the cards. Also, the message that these cards give is very lucid and precise, compared to the very ‘feelings oriented’ and ‘deeply internal’ messages that the Tarot cards give.
It can be quite a shift for a very intuitive Tarot Card Reader to pick up these cards and read with them. However, when combined with a Tarot Card Reading, both these card systems play awesomely with each other — giving the reader both the deeper and the more practical messages. This can be advantageous for the client, who ends up benefitting the most from a very informational reading.
I recently found myself drawn to learn more about this system while I was working with the Dreaming Way Tarot for my Learn This Deck video series. I discovered that Kwon Shina, the artist illustrator who had drawn the images of the Dreaming Way Tarot had also illustrated a Lenormand Deck called the Dreaming Way Lenormand. Since I was in love with the quriky and cute artwork style of the illustrator I ended up purchasing the deck, and my journey of exploration began.
{I will write an article about the Lenormand Cards and include more details and links to resources in that article, and then link that article here. Promise.}
The Lenormand cards are a set of 36 cards in no particular order — there is absolutely no significance of why a particular symbol has a particular number like in the Tarot. Each card has the one main symbol on it. The background and other additional imagery carries no weight in the meaning and interpretation of that card. For a very basic spread, the cards are laid out in a single line and read linearly. The card to the right adds value or meaning to the card to its left, and so on. Each card can represent a single word (noun or adjective or verb or adverb) and you string them up to form a sentence which conveys the message. Plus, there is no concept of ‘Reversed Cards’ like with the Tarot. And unlike the Tarot, specific cards are decidedly positive or negative in their impact.
Although, it sounds pretty simple in theory, it is quite challenging to do this type of reading. For me, the challenge is in not letting my intuition get into the card’s imagery. This is why I have ended up looking for cards which have a very stark imagery style — just the symbol and nothing else extra on it. And the second challenge is in allowing only that much intuition to come into play which will let me know which of the meanings of that symbol apply in the reading. In short, I find myself running free but within a specifed area.
Of course, when I feel like I have ‘practiced’ enough, I plan to add these cards into my reading process so I can be of more help to my clients. For now, I have started with putting up a ‘card-a-day’ reading with this card on my Instagram and on FaceBook.
In Summary…
Images: Usually just a single symbol. May contain additional background imagery depending on Deck Theme and Artistic Style. Also may contain the playing card suit insert or name.
Card Order:36 Cards with no specific meaning or reason for their order.
Storytelling: Linear. Logical. Each card makes up a word (noun / adjective / verb / adverb) and you join them to make a sentence. Several interesting spreads which have their own very systematic and linear interpretation methods.
Playing With Others: Yes. Plays well with Tarot Cards.
Guidance Value: Very practical. Hones in on the main point of the reading / question. Adds value to the Tarot Card Reading.
Availability of Deck: Easily available on Amazon.
To Learn: Books (on Amazon), Websites, and Videos (on You Tube)
My first love. My best love. The Tarot Cards have been the doorway to exploring my intuition. However, they were also a great synthesis of my love for mythology, psychology, art, and symbolism, and the process of interpretation.
This is a complete system in and of itself. Typically, it has 78 cards, divided into 22 cards called the Major Arcana, and 56 cards called the Minor Arcana. The Minor Arcana are then further sub-divided into 14-Card Suits. The Major Arcana talk of a deeper truth filled with Arcana and Archetypal symbols and imagery. The Minor Arcana (through the four Suits of the Wands, Swords, Cups, and Pentacles) talk of the everyday things that people go through in their lives. The Suits also contain a total of 16 Court Cards or People Cards which are a composite of the 16 different Personality Types.
In short, the cards cover all aspects of a person’s life — spiritual, energetic, mind, feelings, and practical.
The cards are randomly pulled from a well-shuffled deck, and laid out in a ’spread’ where the spread positions correspond with the question asked to the cards, and give the cards their context. Intuition and storytelling plays a huge role in interpreting these images, and they offer all levels of guidance and prediction.
In Summary…
Images: Deeply evocative imagery based on Deck Theme and Artistic Style. Full of symbols and hidden meanings. Every aspect of imagery may strike the intuitive-imaginative processes.
Card Order:Two big divisions — 22 cards in Major Arcana, and 56 cards in Minor Arcana. Minor Arcana cards further divided into 4 Suits (Wands, Swords, Cups, Pentacles) that include cards 1 through to 10, and 4 Court Cards (Page, Knight, Queen, King) in each suit. Each suit sequence and even the Major Arcana sequence has a logical and meaningful order.
Storytelling: Deeply engaging and very subjective. Imaginative, intuitive process of interptetation. Images evoke feelings which are then translated into messages. A large variety of Spreads are available.
Playing With Others: Plays really well with most systems. Can form the base system upon which other systems can add value, or vice-versa.
Guidance Value: Deeply insightful. Feelings, emotions, situations, circumstances – lots of details to interpret.
Availability of Deck: Easily available on Amazon.
To Learn: Books (Amazon), Websites, Videos (You Tube).
For some reason, I could never find myself drawn to these decks — probably because these cards usually have a message printed on them which tends to distract me from getting into the intuitive flow.
However, that doesn’t mean that this system doesn’t have it’s adherants and followers.
In theory, this is also a worthwhile system to explore. And many Tarot Card Readers often use Oracle Cards to add more value, meaning, and guidance into their readings.
Typically, you will find a good number of Angel based Oracle Decks out there in the market. But there are others as well — and just like the Tarot, they are often based around a certain central theme or belief system.
Readers may use these in a ‘spread’-type layout just like the Tarot, or they often pull out a random card or two to add value or additional messages to an existing Tarot Card Reading. However, these aren’t really suited for prediction-based questions. By their very nature, they are meant for guidance and encouragement.
In Summary…
Images: Depend on Deck Theme, and Artistic Style. Usually have an insightful or encouraging message printed on the image. Sometimes, its just a keyword.
Card Order:Cards usually won’t have any specific number-based order, or any other meaningful order to their sequence.
Storytelling: Messages usually offer encouragement and guidance. Limited use in predictive readings. A number of spreads available.
Playing With Others: Plays truly well with other systems. Especially if you want to add a bit of guidance and encouragement during the spread.
Guidance Value: Insightful, encouraging messages that offer a lot of guidance. Usually not very predictive.
Availability of Deck: Easily available on Amazon.
To Learn: Books (Amazon), Websites, Videos (You Tube).
OH Cards
I discovered these cards through a friend who had seen them when she went for a Reading. I ended up exploring the website and ordering this deck and three more later on. Of course, there are more decks based on different themes, which are totally on my wish list.
These cards, to quote directly from their website, “simulate creativity and communication”. The best part is that these decks can be mixed up with each other and still be fluidly used as a single deck.
The Original OH Deck was a unique creation, designed and painted by Canadian artist Ely Raman. There are 88 cards with pictures painted on them. These are complemented with 88 cards which have keywords on them. Randomly pull out a picture card and put it upon a randomly pulled word card, and see what comes up in your heart and mind.
Subsequently, several artists have created picture cards of their own, based on different themes, and added to this ‘image library’ and enhanced this deck.
I mix them up, and use them to plan / plot my story, or get to know my ‘characters’, both with and without the ‘word cards’. Sometimes, I also use them to gain a deeper understanding of my inner self and inner processes. Depending on how I feel during a reading, I may even add them into the mix for a client reading.
These cards come in real handy when the reading involves going deep into the client’s psyche to find root causes of fears, phobia, and other issues which have troubled them and left them in stuck positions in their lives. Of course, it requires a lot of trust between you and your client, and a lot of interactivity in your reading process. In my experience, these cards work especially brilliantly in readings when the client is willing to give the process a genuine shot — after all, he / she may have to sit and talk about what feelings and associations the image card + word card combo is stirring up within his / her psyche.
The accompanying booklet also describes how these cards can be used in a group setting in a ‘game’. These cards have found their use with counsellors and psychotherapists, as also with divination practioners.
In Summary…
Images: A number of paintings based on the Deck Theme. Different decks can be combined with each other to create a wider theme-palette of images to dive into.
Card Order: No specific numbers. Random order to their sequence.
Storytelling: Very intuitive and imaginative. Can be paired with the OH Word Cards to add value, or can be used by themselves. Can be used in spreads, or just laid out in a line.
Playing With Others: Plays really well with all the systems.
Guidance Value: Very playful and insightful, full of imagination and intuition. Can include deeper psychological aspects as well.
Availability of Deck: From the OH Websites.
To Learn: Guidebook (with the Deck), Imagination, Articles on the OH Website.
Watch The Video
If you’d like a bit of a visual treat while I talk about the stuff that I’ve written in this blog post, then just click play and watch the video!
And if you would like to be notified every time I upload a new video, just head on over to my You Tube Channel and subscribe!
In Conclusion…
There are all kinds of different ways in which to access the intuition, the imagination — essentially the subconscious mind — using these card-based systems. Of course, these cards may or may not have all kinds of evocative images and artwork. Shuffling, then choosing random cards, and laying these cards out in a layout / Spread for the purposes of divination is a multi-layered system full of variety and innovative methods and tools.
Even though there may be a number of Tarot Card Decks out there to whet your appetite, these systems are also well worth looking into. Plus, they play really well with the Tarot.
Not only do they exercise your psychic muscles in different ways, but they also help you get more information, and put you in a position where you can help your clients better.
Of course, if you know of any other card-based divination system that I haven’t covered here, please just drop a line in the comments section below. Also, if you have anything else to add or say, please tell me. I would love to hear all your thoughts.
Do you want to learn Tarot Card Reading? Are you on a budget?
I think it is such an interesting turn of fate that we get drawn to wanting to learn Tarot Card Reading right when we are in the middle of something else, you know, like Life. 🙂 So there we are, wanting to learn Tarot Card Reading while pursuing studies, or working a full-time job, or raising kids.
And of course, we are on a budget – think shoestring budget. Most one-on-one or classroom Tarot Workshops cost a bit (mine included). And carving out time for the lessons is not always possible. How do you learn Tarot then? Especially when you are on a shoestring budget?
I’ve spent over a decade reading, studying, and gathering a bunch of knowledge and information about Tarot and taught Tarot Card Reading to many students. After all that reading and studying and teaching, I have compiled a list of processes, techniques, books, articles etc that may help you in your journey with the Cards.
I would like to share this with you. Part of it came about as a ‘Reading List’ that I give all of my students after they finished my workshop. And the other part — well, it is in the form of blog posts on this very web site. In this post, I’m just bringing it all together in one place, so you can have a single point of reference during your self-study process.
The learning is totally your domain though. That is one place you will have to help yourself. The biggest advantage of this resource list is that you can work through the list at your own pace while you juggle and balance all your other life stuff.
Before We Begin…
This list has been compiled with a lot of thought. I’ve either read / written every book / article / resource that I’ve mentioned over here. That is one reason why this list cannot, in any way, be complete. I still have many books sitting on my shelf, waiting to be read. And there are only so many hours in the day when I can read. So, while this list may be big and exhaustive, it is by no means complete. I promise though, that I will keep adding to it as and when I get to reading / writing those books and blog articles. Promise.
Please Note: Each of the images of the Amazon Books is a clickable link with my Amazon affiliate code embedded in it. This way, I get a few pennies as my affiliate commission if you choose to buy via these embedded links.
Now, without much ado, let’s really begin…
Learn Tarot on a Shoestring Budget
Step 1: Your First Deck + Basic Book with Card Meanings
The Universal Waite Tarot Card Deck (~$19)
To put it simply, this deck is a better, clearer, re-colored version of the Rider-Waite-Smith Tarot Card Deck.
And the images, style and format of this deck has served as a template for many other decks out there. So if you study with this deck first, you will find it easier to get into the imagery of the other decks.
Plus, this deck suits the study needs of Tarot Card Readers from beginner through to advanced levels. This is the deck to start with. This is also the deck you will keep coming back to. Promise.
The Complete Guide to the Tarot by Eden Gray (~ $6 for Kindle and $7 for Paperback)
Available in both Print and Kindle formats, this is the ‘first Tarot book‘ for many of the great Tarot-istas in the world today. And with good reason!
This is an awesome book that gives you great insight into each card in a way that is simple and easy to understand. This book will introduce you to the cards, their colorful history, and the basic concepts of how to use and read the cards.
The book will also introduce you to the imagery of each card, and give a list of divinatory meanings for both upright and reversed cards.
There is even a comprehensive list of symbols and their meanings at the end of the book. If it worked for them, it ought to work for you too! Honestly, this isthe best first Tarot book that you can buy.
Please resist the urge to buy the Universal Waite deck along with the book titled ‘Pictorial Key to the Tarot’. (The Book and Deck Set can be purchased for approx. $19). You can totally buy the book later if you want. This book was written by A.E. Waite, the creator of the Rider-Waite-Smith Tarot Card Deck. It is written in old style english and has a lot of stuff that is pretty obscure and confusing to a beginner. The list of meanings in this book can and will confuse you. Some of them are, at best, of historic significance, and at worst, dated. It won’t serve your purposes right now to get confused. The history of this deck is pretty engrossing, but right now, you don’t want to spend time on that, right? You can do this later.
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Step 2: Studying and Understanding the Cards
Storytelling (Free)
Storytelling, Creativity and Intuition are sisters. They originate from the same place — the Subconscious Mind. I won’t boggle you down with the Psychology-based Theory here, only state the gist of it: these 3 abilities are intertwined. Each triggers the other. Each builds the other. Each completes the other. Storytelling with the images of the Tarot Cards can be an awesome opening into the deeper understanding of the card images. You can record your stories in your Journal.
Power Tarot: More Than 100 Spreads That Give Specific Answers to Your Most Important Question (~. $12 for Kindle, ~. $13 for Paperback)
Spreads are the way in which Tarot Card Readers actually do their Readings. This book has (as the title suggests) 100 different Spreads. Grouped together based on the number of cards that have been used in the Spread, this book is a veritable gold mine for those of us who like to have Spreads for all sorts of questions.
The book also has a very detailed section with the meanings of the cards, and how they relate to the different aspects of life / questions asked i.e. Work, Romance, Finances, Health, Spirituality, and Empowerment.
Journaling (3-Ring Binder with Loose Pages: between $5 to $20)
When you study the cards and read the book, you can also start working with your Tarot Journal. This Journal will be where you store and record all your knowledge. Over the years, it will transform into a veritable gold mine. Trust me. (Here’s what I did with my notes!)
These days you can also find some excellent apps that work on your phone / tablet / desktop computers that work in a similar manner.
Card-A-Day (Free)
Every day, in the morning, pull out one card from the deck. Sum up your feelings about the image in a few sentences. This process is not a test of how much you know, or how many meanings of that card you can mug up or rattle off. It is a process that will stir up your intuitive abilities. So don’t sweat it too much. Really. Just don’t. All you have to do is pull out a card and sum up your immediate reactions / feelings to that image in a few sentences. Make a note of it in your Journal. Or in your phone’s photo library. Or on Instagram.
I post my #CardADay Pics on Instagram alongwith the insights / thoughts I get at the time. If you are on Instagram, you can totally follow me there. If you prefer FaceBook, you can also see these daily card draws on the TaroticallySpeaking FaceBook Group Page. Or if you like, you can also see ’em on my Google+ Page. .
Step 3: Learning How To Actually Do Tarot Card Readings
Tarot Reading Using Storytelling Techniques (~ $10 for Kindle, $15 for Paperback)
I know. I know. This is a bit of ‘Self Promotion‘. But hear me out.
This book will show you how to actually do an awesome, intuitive, creative and engaging Tarot Card Reading. By this time, you are probably familiar with the cards and their meanings, and you’ve been wanting to do a Reading for your friends, family and so on. But when you try to do a spread, do you maybe feel a bit stumped and wishing that you could somehow get your spread to make some sense?
Do you wonder how the cards in the spread actually connect with each other and form a coherent reading? You’ve probably read articles about how people use Tarot Cards to make stories. Did you know that you could use those time-tested storytelling techniques to read the Tarot Cards?
This book will show you how you can go deeper into the images of the cards, and also understand Spreads in a way that will make your Tarot Card Readings an interesting and engaging journey for you and your client.
Click here and use Amazon’s Look Inside feature to look through the chapters. You can even download the sample chapters on your Kindle. Decide for yourself. No pressure. But give it a shot, okay. 😊 Thank you! 🙏🏼
This is the point where you amaze your friends with your awesome reading skills. The reality is that there is no sweet and nice intro into actually doing readings. You just have to invoke The Fool, and jump right in. Since they are your friends, you will feel comfortable reading for them. And hopefully they won’t be as harsh.
Visit the Forums at Aeclectic Tarot. This is one of the most awesome resources for Tarot on the Net. It has been around for the longest time, and it is the place on the Internet where all things Tarot converge. You will meet some really interesting and awesome people. You can practice your readings by exchanging readings with other students like you. You can learn different Tarot Card Reading Spreads. All of this and more — this site is a veritable Wonderland for Tarot Lovers.
2.
After the demise of Yahoo! Groups and the rise of FaceBook Groups, quite a few mailing list communities migrated over to the new social media platform, and found more followers. One such group is Tarot and More. With a bunch of daily posts that are designed to make your Tarot Juices flow, this is one awesome FaceBook Group worth joining and participating.
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Step 4: Go Deeper With Your Tarot Studies
Entering a Tarot Card - A Mediation Exercise (Free)
Entering a card image is a very deep and involved meditation process. It will help you connect with the imagery of the card on a very deep, and very (sur)real level. This meditation will help you get to know the cards in great detail. Converse with the people in the cards, and learn more about them by simply asking them. This is a deep and involved meditation, and it really opens up your heart and mind about each card image. Be sure to keep your Journal ready for when you complete the meditation. Even if you feel tired, write down what you saw, felt, and experienced. Trust me, it will give you insights like never before!
78 Degrees of Wisdom by Rachel Pollack (~ $15 for Paperback)
This book is considered to be the Tarot Bible. This book will enrich and deepen your knowledge of the cards and the mythology, numerology, and psychology aspects associated with it.
This is the book that made me feel as if I had finally come up on the path that I wanted to follow, especially with regard to the Tarot Cards. This book gave me deep, intricate knowledge about the various associations of the Tarot Cards. Connections such as Mythology and Psychology became clearer to me, and I was able to immerse myself deeper and deeper into the cards.
Tarot For Your Self by Mary K. Greer (~ $11 for Kindle and $13 for Paperback)
Pretty much of all of us (including yours truly) are drawn towards the cards by a hope that one day, we will be able to read for ourselves, and divine our own future.
Alas! Those dreams take a back seat when we realize that reading for ourselves is the hardest thing one can do. This is where this book comes in. It will show you how to work towards gaining the sort of detachment and clarity of thought that is required to do readings for your self. And all of this while working through several interesting exercises with the cards.
If you’ve followed the steps in this list, you may feel that some of the chapters in the book cover things that you’ve already known about. But don’t fret. There’s a lot more information and detail in this book too! Be sure to work through the exercises to get the most from the book.
The Complete Book of Tarot Reversals by Mary K. Greer (~ $11 for Kindle and $12 for Paperback)
If reading reversed cards has bothered you no end, then this is the book for you. Now you don’t have a reason to run away from reversed cards.
Reversed cards are simply another way of looking at the card image. Just like the story of life is full of unexpected twists, turns, surprises, these reversed cards show up and force a spotlight on the issue or situation depicted by that card. This book will take you through the various ways of looking at, understanding, and interpreting the cards when they come up reversed.
Tarot Wisdom by Rachel Pollack (~ $15 for Kindle and $17 for Paperback)
The new book written by the author of 78 Degrees of Wisdom. This book was written at least 25 years after Rachel Pollack published her groundbreaking Tarot book.
In this book, we discover deeper details of each of the cards through a historical and comparative perspective. We see how the meanings and associations of each card changed over time and how the understanding of the symbols has evolved. At the end of each Major Arcana card, we also have a spread that will bring the card’s dimensions into deep focus.
Take your understanding of the Tarot Cards to the next level, by understanding the deep wisdom hidden within the card images.
21 Ways to Read a Tarot Card by Mary K. Greer (~ $10 for Kindle and $15 for Paperback)
The Tarot Cards have images on them, and since images can be perceived and understood in so many different ways, there is absolutely no end to the amount of interpretations that each image can generate.
This book will show you 21 very innovative ways of looking at the Tarot Card Images to deepen and strengthen your knowledge and understanding of each card. There was a time when I felt that I knew a whole lot about the cards. This book gently tapped me on my shoulder and told me to rethink that belief. And for that, I shall forever remain grateful.
Understanding the Tarot Court by Mary K. Greer and Tom Little (~ $15 for Kindle and $16 for Paperback)
Do you get confused when Court Cards pop up in your readings? Well, then this is the book that will help you feel at ease among them.
The Court Cards are just people — either they represent the client, or the people in the client’s life. They show us the side of the personality that came to the forefront during the situation described by the surrounding cards. Read up on the Court Cards, and work through the exercises that have been designed to help you figure your way through these 16 different personalities within the Tarot Card Deck.
There are so many things areas within the cards where you can go deep and explore. You can either see the cards as a place where these things converge, or you can see the cards as a launching point to exploring these realms.
While there are many realms to explore, there are many areas which I haven’t explored. It is a simple matter of being drawn to a concept and not being drawn to another.
Everyone likes a different flavor of ice-cream. That doesn’t make the other flavors irrelevant. Or unimportant. And since this is a list of resources that I have compiled based on my personal experiences, you may find some interest areas ill-represented.
For that I apologize in advance.
A Walk through the Forest of Souls: A Tarot Journey to Spiritual Awakening (~ $19 Paperback and ~ $12 for Kindle)
This is the book that started it all for me. And I hope it does that for you too.
I used to think that all the divinatory arts performed only one function: predicting the future. But I was wrong. They do so much more than that.
They are a bridge that take us from ‘what is going to happen?’ to ‘why is it happening?’ and then to ‘what can I do to stop this from happening / change this / make this happen?’.
Perspective matters. And this book changed mine. It put me on the path of inner exploration that I am on today.
The Tarot Card Images are filled with Symbols. From the simplest to the most complex, symbols populate each aspect of the card image. Symbols are like short forms or acronyms. They convey vast amounts of deeper truths in a very compact format. Just by being present in the image of the card, they suffuse the image with a wealth of meanings that probably could not have been conveyed otherwise. Often, the meaning of these symbols is rooted in logic. Apart from common sense, symbols derive meaning from myths and legends, and the psychological spheres that they evoke. Knowing about the various symbols and the mysteries associated with their interpretation can be quite useful in the interpretation of the Tarot Card Images.
Man and His Symbols by Carl Jung (~ $6 for Kindle and $6 for Paperback)
This is one of those books that will change the way you look at things. After reading this book, you will see symbolism everywhere.
Read along as Carl Jung talks about the inner self and the symbols that populate not only the subconscious but also the world around us.
Go deep with understanding the imagery and symbolism that is present around us. This is the book that will open your eyes to the various ways and methods in which symbols can be applied and used to convey meanings compactly and precisely.
Pictures from the Heart: A Tarot Dictionary by Sandra A. Thomson (~ $8 for Kindle)
An alphabetical list of meanings of the different symbols that one encounters in a Tarot Card Deck — this book is exactly what you are looking for if you want precise and to-the-point explanations of what the symbols in the cards really stand for.
An amazing reference book to have in your Tarot Library, this book is also chock full of helpful tips and advice that will help take your reading skills (along with your Tarot knowledge) to the next level.
This is the aspect of Tarot that attracted me the most. Almost all of the cards in the deck are associated with some or the other myth. Being a storyteller, that was extremely attractive to me. Myths are the first stories ever told. Myths form the basis of storytelling, both simple and complex. I loved how the symbols and stories were intricately woven into the imagery of the card. And of course, understanding the meaning of those images and symbols added into the meaning of that card.
The Encyclopedia of World Mythology (~ $8 Paperback and ~ $15 Hardcover)
This book gives quite an intriguing birds-eye-view introduction to various mythologies across the world. Full of images and maps, this book is a rather interesting doorway into the world of Mythology.
It gives a quick glance through the major myths from across various cultures across the globe, and introduces you to the deeper aspects of cultures and traditions across the world. From here, you can decide where and how to go deep with the stories, tales, symbols and their deeper psychological inputs.
The Hero with a Thousand Faces by Joseph Campbell (~ $13 for Hardcover)
This book takes the concepts explored in the previous book, and takes it one step further.
You may see strange parallels between the Journey of the Fool as seen in the Major Arcana of the Tarot, and the journey outlined in this book.
Explore the myths and symbols that the hero encounters during his adventures — his quest, and how he fulfills it. Many interesting themes are explored here, and provide a lot of deep insight.
This book outlines the epic “Hero’s Journey” that are the mainstay of so many heroic tales that have entertained us and taught us about our desire for adventure, heroism, and the values of kindness, learning, and understanding.
The Power of Myth by Joseph Campbell (~ $13 for Kindle and $13 for Paperback)
This book will start the journey for your exploration of comparative mythology.
A collection of interviews that Campbell had with Bill Moyers, this book explores the various mythic themes that continually emerge in the world around us.
If you’ve ever started to wonder about the recurring motifs and themes across diverse mythologies, and if you’ve ever wondered why human beings are so enamored of our myths, then you need to read this book by Joseph Campbell.
From Girl to Goddess: The Heroine’s Journey through Myth and Legend by Valerie Estelle Frankel (~ $15 for Kindle and $35 for Paperback)
When you want the hero’s journey to talk about issues that are specifically about women, then this is the book you need to reach for.
This book talks about the “Heroine’s Journey” and includes a variety of mythical motifs, archetypes and information that show us the inner and outer journey that women undertake towards their attaining their quest.
This is the next aspect of the Tarot images that pulled me in. While the images are associated with myths, they also evoke many attributes of pyschology. The imagery is a pathway into the depths of the subconscious mind. It may not be simple or easy, but the cards can truly open the door to the deepest reaches of the mind so you can be guided by your subconscious mind.
Tarot As A Way of Life : A Jungian Approach to the Tarot (~ $16 for Paperback)
A very good book that will open up your perception into the Jungian approach towards the card imagery.
While many of the ‘meanings’ may be what you’ve learned before, the book provides very Jungian bits of insights into the imagery, which is pretty interesting.
If you wanted to see how the psychological aspects of the Tarot imagery intersect with that of Jung’s ideas, this is the book to read!
Discovering Your Self Through the Tarot : A Jungian Guide to Archetypes & Personality by Rose Gwain (~ $19 for Paperback)
Carl Jung and his work opened up many dimensions into understanding the human mind.
This book adds to the knowledge that you’ve gained from the previous book, taking it to the next level. This book also helps you understand yourself better via concepts like Archetypes, Extraversion, and Introversion as expressed via the cards.
All the cards have numbers on them. Naturally, that makes it easier for us to connect them with the occult art of numbers – Numerology.
While you may find a number of texts about the subject as-is (i.e. with no connection to Tarot), there is an interesting book that does talk about Numerology and Tarot together.
Numerology: Key to the Tarot (~ $14 for Paperback)
This book plays a dual role.
First, it introduces and explains the numbers on the Major Arcana and their numerological significance.
Second, it also shows us some of the deeper aspects of applying that knowledge of numerology to our real life. This book talks about many typical and standard Numerological practices and methods, all the while referencing the Tarot.
Get to know the Tarot Cards from the point of view of numbers!
Due to the number of cards in the Major Arcana (22) a unique connection has always existed between the Major Arcana cards and the Astrological Signs and Planets.
Each of the 22 Major Arcana cards is either associated with a Sun Sign, or a Planet. Most of us stop at this point, and don’t venture any further. That’s cool.
But what if there is more to this connection than what you’ve known so far?
36 Secrets: A Decanic Journey through the Minor Arcana of the Tarot by T Susan Chang (~ $30 Paperback and $20 Kindle)
If you want to truly explore the intricate aspects of how the images of the Rider-Waite-Smith Tarot Card Deck connect with Western Astrology, then this is the book you want to read!
Get to know your card images from a more interesting point of view!
The mystical and esoteric elements within Judaism are called Kabalah. Briefly, the Kabalah aims at explaining the connection between the infinite and the finite Universe.
The arrangement of the Pentacles on the Rider-Waite-Smith / Universal Waite 10 of Pentacles card is quite similar to the image of the Tree of Life from the Kabalah.
Also, 22 Paths connect the 10 Spheres on the Kabalah Tree of Life. Many people see that as a very straightforward connection between Tarot Cards and the Kabalah with the 22 Major Arcana Cards and the 10 Suit Cards structure in each Tarot Card Deck.
The Qabalistic Tarot Book: A Textbook Of Mystical Philosophy by Robert Wang (~ $25 Hardcopy)
Explore the Tarot Card imagery from the perspective of the Kabbala Tree of Life!
If you’ve ever wanted. to understand Kabbala, without it getting to complex — and especially if you wanted to understand the deep roots and connections between Tarot and the Kabbala, then this is the book to start your journey with!
Get to know the cards of the 4 main Tarot Decks: Golden Dawn, Thoth, Rider-Waite-Smith, and Tarot de Marseilles through the lens of the Kabbala Tree of Life.
This is also a side of the card imagery that attracted me. The images and the art on some of the decks is often pretty compelling. From a storyteller’s point of view, these images can launch you into a completely different and intriguing world. Fantasy and imagination can easily find themselves combined within the artwork of many a Tarot Card Deck. A few such notable Tarot Card Decks that I own are:
Of course, tastes vary. As I love to keep saying, “Everyone likes different flavors of ice cream”. You may like a different sort of imagery. And that’s perfectly okay. 🙂
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Step 6: Explore the History of the Tarot Cards
There is a very colorful history that surrounds the cards and their images. To be honest, I feel that this could be a whole ‘nother post by itself. So, I’m just going to give you the information, the links, and a brief description.
The Tarot: History, Symbolism, and Divination by Robert Place (~ $13 for Kindle and $16 for Paperback)
This book is a detailed look into the 3-fold facets of Tarot: the history, the symbolism, and the divination.
This book will present evidence that will make you look beyond the supposedly mystical origins of the Tarot Cards.
After looking through the history of the various symbols and imagery, the author walks you through the interpretations of each of the cards, and a couple of example spreads.
Pictorial Key to the Tarot by A. E. Waite (~ $1 for Kindle and $11 for Paperback)
Remember, in the beginning, I told you to wait and buy this book later. Well, here you go!
Go wild and read through Waite’s thoughts and concepts of the cards and the images. And of course, the interpretations / divinatory meanings.
Now that you’ve spent some time with the cards, learning about them, and doing readings for people with them, you are in a better position to understand the historical significance of many of these meanings and interpretations.
As I’ve said before, this list isn’t complete. But it does contain the links to resources that I’ve encountered first-hand, and over this past decade. As you work through the list, and in order, you will slowly develop and enhance your knowledge and experience of the Tarot Cards, and doing Readings not just for others, but for yourself as well. Wisdom comes from putting these principles and this knowledge into practice. Trying out various techniques and approaches to see which fits will no doubt open doors and pathways into various areas of understanding and help you grow and develop even more. As I see it, the Occult Arts of Divination are just another pathway towards self awareness, and self realization. The knowledge that you will gain from them will always help you, no matter what. Trust the wisdom of your soul, and you will find that your life opens up for you.
Your Turn…
As I read more, and learn more, and discover more resources, I will be sure to update this list. If you want to be notified when this list of resources updates, and if you are ok with getting some more emails from me about all sorts of Tarot-ically Speaking stuff, then sign up! You can save the PDF file on your computer / smart phone / tablet and access whenever and wherever you like. When the list updates, I’ll send you a download link for the new PDF. And I hope you won’t mind if I also send you the occasional emails with news, updates and article links. Sound good? Well, then sign up! 😀
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A word I keep saying all the time. Something I totally believe in.
And something that many people often ask me about.
So I decided to write about what I feel about it.
Intuition: Definitions
My Mac Dictionary defines the word Intuition as: the ability to understand something immediately, without the need for conscious reasoning; a thing that one knows or considers likely from an instinctive feeling rather than conscious reasoning. ORIGIN Late Middle English (denoting spiritual insight or immediate spiritual communication): from the late Latin intuitio(n-), from Latin intueri ‘consider’.
Wikipedia defines Intuition (philosophy) as: the act by which the mind perceives the agreement or disagreement of two ideas; and Intuition (knowledge) as: understanding without apparent effort.
Hmmm….
Intuition: So What is it All About?
The whole idea of Intuition was introduced to me by my Tarot teacher. She always used to say that Intuition is the first thing that comes to your mind when you see the card. So very true! And it applies not just to the Tarot Cards, but also to different situations in life as well.
Intuition is basically the first thing that comes to your mind when you think of something, or someone – and yes, the first thing that comes to your mind when you see the card.
We all grow up with a little voice inside our heads – it is that little voice that keeps on telling you what is right or wrong (for example, it is the little voice inside your head which probably told you that Mom will be angry if you do something) and it is that voice which keeps on telling you what the outcome of a certain situation can be (for example, the little voice inside your head that told you that the guy you are going out with is a total loser).
But then, we are taught, nay conditioned, that we ought not to listen to that little voice inside our head and instead follow logical and rational thought processes.
Not that I am against rational thought or logic, but there are many times where these things can totally fail us. All of us have discovered in our lives that some things which may seem rational and logical do not always correspond to reality. And it is that little nagging voice inside of our heads which was right all along. For example, that guy really turned out to be a big loser despite all appearances to the contrary, and Mom did really get angry for what we did.
Intuition Confusion: How Do We Know?
But then again, there can and often are so many other little voices crowding inside of our heads that we often think that they are Intuition. Those are the voices of our fears, the voices of our past experiences, the voices of our own expectations, and so on. All of these different voices can often cause confusion in our minds and cloud the voice of our Intuition.
So how do we separate out the voice of our Intuition?
To do that, we must first know ourselves better – know more about what we are doing and why. We must know our ‘triggers’ and our ‘responses’ to these ‘triggers’. And when we know that, we can separate these voices because then we will know their source, their origin.
Trust me, there is no easier way, no short-cut to achieving this. But there is a way. It is a combination of Awareness and Practice. And this is how I do it.
I try to remain Aware constantly – I try to watch myself, as if I am a third person, and observe what I am doing. Then I try to figure out why I am doing what I am doing. And then I tell myself all of that. It isn’t as complicated as it sounds – really. But it certainly takes a lot of time to get the process down to such an unconscious level that one does it like one breathes – without the awareness that one is doing it.
LOL 😀
Yes, I know – to be aware, you have to remain in the Present, become your own Observer, and then do this process Unconsciously, without Awareness.
Careful, you may be stepping into a very Zen territory out here! 🙂
And the next step is Practice – just keep on doing this. And you’ll get the hang of it.
Personally, I am still practicing – one is never really perfect, right? And yes, I do slip-up now and then. 🙁
And so, once we are aware of all the different things we do and why we do them, we will know what triggers our responses – what are the different stimuli that cause these different reactions. And by reactions, I also include the different voices we hear.
So now we can identify the origins of each of these voices – some may originate from past experiences, some from our fears, and some from logic, and so on. Meanwhile, you will also find a voice which has no origin whatsoever. And that is the voice of Intuition.
Something that has popped up into your mind for no apparent reason – and from no apparent source or origin.
Your Intuition.
Intuition and Tarot Cards: How Tarot Cards can help Spark your Intuition
And so, how do the Tarot Cards tie in with Intuition?
Well, the cards have pictures on them and these pictures mean something. Plain and simple, you can just see what’s happening in the picture and decipher the meaning. Or you can totally get into the symbolism, the myths, the philosophy, the astrology, the numerology – the whole jing-bang, and then decipher the meaning of the card.
Either way, the picture and its inherent meaning will be there right in front of your eyes for you to see.
But then, wait.
What did that little voice in your head say when you first saw the picture?
Pay attention. Really.
What did that little voice in your head say when at the first sight of that picture on the card?
Go on, listen to it. Really listen to that voice.
Learn it’s tone, it’s tenor, it’s cadence. Identify it’s source. Listen to how it sounds like (probably very quiet). Understand what it feels like (probably very peaceful).
That’s your Intuition talking.
Don’t be afraid. Don’t panic.
When you are doing a reading and you get these Intuitive, instinctive insights, don’t be afraid to voice them. Tell your client, that your Intuition is saying this. Don’t discount it. Don’t say that you could be wrong.
Believe in your Intuition. Trust it. Have total, complete, irrevocable Faith in it. Respect it. Treat it like it is something important. Special.
And trust me, your Intuition will become stronger and more spot on with every passing day.
Yup! It’s called the ‘Psychic Muscle‘ and just like any other muscle in your body, the more you exercise it, the more stronger it becomes!
And your cards can work as a wonderful tool for you to access that Intuitive force present within you. Because, they are simple and easy. And because they make it easier for you to focus on the true voice of your Intuition.
A daily one-card or three-card draw is a good way to keep this practice going and to keep your Psychic Muscle exercised.
And soon you will see that you get sudden insights and bursts of intuition – even without the presence of the cards. Your mind’s radio station will tune in more easily to the voice of your Intuition. And when you most need the guidance, the information you require will come to you.
Intuition: A Few Examples from my own life
Oh yes! I have had some interesting incidents in my life which have to do with Intuition. And I am going to share them with you.
And no, I don’t get flashes of stuff happening to me all the time.
Only when it is required.
Once, I was doing a reading for a client – and I saw something, almost like a movie scene, happening in front of my eyes. (And no, this doesn’t happen to me all the time!) And I described this scene to her. Guess what! She said, this had happened to her just the day before!
A recent example was just before my Green Card interview. Now, I was going in a different category – my Mom had applied for me. But many-a-times, people apply for Green Cards under different categories – typically, a newly wed wife applies for a Green Card because her husband has one. And at that time, they are supposed to show photographs of their wedding ceremony to the interviewer, to prove that a wedding really took place. The visa information website where all this stuff is written had not mentioned such a requirement for my category. And so, I was adding all kinds of documents in my folder – like my Birth Certificate, to prove that my Mom is really my Mom and that I am really her Daughter etc. etc. And then, suddenly, the voice inside my head told me to pack some photographs as well… pictures of me and my Mom. And so I did that. I looked through a pile of photos and picked out some nice pictures of me and my Mom and put them in a nice album thingy and packed it into my document folder. So, when I finally went in for my interview, the lady who interviewed me asked me a whole bunch of questions (as they normally do) and then instead of asking for any other document, she simply asked me if I had any pictures of me and my Mom. Thats it! That was the only ‘document’ she wanted to see. So, promptly, I said ‘Yes’ and gave her the album.
And then of course, there are those funny moments, when I suddenly feel the urge to hunt down my cell phone and then I get a text message or a phone call.
And then there are those moments when I just know if someone is going to drop by for a visit. Or not.
And then there was today morning when I decided to mow the rest of the lawn. I had finished half of it yesterday morning in the heat of the sun, and had decided that I would wait till today evening to do the rest of it because the Sun would not hurt me so much. But then, as I sat on the porch this morning sipping my second cup of coffee and smoking my ciggy, my little voice said to me: ‘The sky looks cloudy – not cloudy enough for it to rain right now, but it will rain in a few hours and it will keep on raining. So, if you want to mow the lawn, better do it now, or else, you won’t have the opportunity for at least a day or two. And then the lawn will be half finished.’ So I got up, and got down to it. I got a few drops of rain on my head just as I was finishing up on the last chunk of grass.
And it is still raining outside… So, if I would’ve waited, thinking that the rain may not fall, I would’ve had a very unfinished looking front yard right about now!
This year began with a bang for me! After waiting for 6 years, my immigration visa interview came through and I am finally on my way to USA to meet my family, live with my Mom (till I find my own accommodation) and generally give my career as a fiction writer some right mileage.
But before I launch into all that, let’s have a look at some interesting number facts that I noticed along the way…
My final interview date was set on the 31st of December, 2008. Add it all up: 3+1+1+2+2+8 = 17 which adds to an 8. Then, my interview was conducted in a cubicle numbered 9. If you add up 8 and 9, you again get 17, which, adds up to an 8. I was the 8th last one from among the whole lot of people to be called in for the interview (the Gujrati (!!) lady next to me was keeping count!) 🙂
Interesting! Well, I was born on the 8th of Jan…. and I have often observed how this number and it’s half (the 4) keeps popping up in my life on and off for all the strangest of reasons.
My flight is booked for the 28th of Jan, 2009. Add these up and you can see that 2+8+1+2+9 = 22 which adds up to a 4! I live in a flat numbered 4.
I am going to live with my mom for some time, before I can figure things out in the USA. Her house number is 305 (another 8)!!
So, with all these numbers going around, let’s have a look at the year to come: 2009. This year adds up to 11 or 2. So, let’s examine these numbers with regards to our cards.
Beginning with the Major Arcana:
Key XI : Justice.
This one is the actual number that this year adds up to. The Justice card, among other things, talks about decisions – taking decisions, making decisions (oh, yes, there is a difference between them two!) and about Karmic Justice. This is the kind of open-eyed Justice, where all is seen and heard, and then action is taken with all the pros and cons in mind. The main feature of this card is also inherent in the pair of scales which she holds in her left hand – Balance, and the sword she holds in her right hand – Logic.
She is often likened to Themis, the Greek Goddess of Justice, or to Ma’at, the Egyptian Goddess of Justice. And in keeping with the qualities ascribed to both these Goddesses, she takes logical and balanced decisions, weighing all her actions and thoughts in accordance with the Universal Law of Karma.
My Prediction:
This is a year when all things will even out – Karmic Debts will be repaid and decisions will be taken with an even-handed, action-oriented, long-term perspective and an objective vision.
Key II: The High Priestess.
The High Priestess card is often held to be the most powerful card in the entire deck – simply because it is full of deep symbolism, and because it shows the inner sanctum of the Divine Feminine.
She is often likened to Persephone or to Isis, and sometimes even to the female Pope. The High Priestess is the perfect picture of the balance that one can achieve within the Duality of everything.
She is the inner self – the unconscious force which holds all the secrets concealed within her psyche. She is the representation of inner wisdom and intuition. She is the stillness before creation.
She simply is – and there is no disputing that fact.
My Prediction:
Taking forward the tone set by the Justice card, this year will also be one where focus will be drawn within – our souls, our inner worlds and our inner wisdom. Intuition and instinct will rule the decisions which will be made and taken. Although stillness will be the norm, it will foster new thoughts and ideas which will be waiting to germinate and sprout out into form (in the next year!)
Key XX: Judgement
The Judgement card talks of redemption – a redemption from the cycles of Karmic action. This is a card indicating freedom and release. Typically depicting a scene from the ‘Judgement Day’ scenario, this card signifies a movement forward on the Karmic ladder – where one transcends the flow of material life and moves into the spiritual form.
My Prediction:
Adding to the tone of the message from the Justice and The High Priestess cards, the Judgement card tells me that for those among us who ‘hear the wake-up call’, our intuitions will guide us along the right paths – helping us take and make decisions with a strong will power, and creating situations from where maintaining and generating Karmic balances will lead us on to a place where we will be free from struggles and transcend towards redemption. The key theme of this year will be Forgiveness.
So, after all these deep, heavy, top-level things, what will our everyday lives be all about? Let’s look at the Minors for that.
So, Moving On To The Minor Arcana:
2 of Wands:
This card from the Suit of Wands talks clearly about careers, work and seeking opportunities. This man standing on the terrace of his house, dressed in fine clothes, looks on to the sprawling ocean in front of him, while holding on to a wand in one hand and a globe in another.
This card talks of how the world has indeed become a small place. We don’t really suffer from the ‘frog in the pond’ syndrome anymore – rather, we have now begun to question ourselves more about our self-created perceptions of that pond. To me, this card is now raising the following questions:
How would you described your pond?
Do you want to explore another pond?
Or do you want to remain in your own pond and be satisfied and content with what you have?
My Prediction:
Many of us will face these questions in different aspects of our lives – especially, our careers, and in any other area of life, where our desires and passions – our fire energy – comes into play.
2 of Swords:
This is a card which talks of choices and decisions. In this picture, we see a woman holding two swords in her hand, while crossing her hands across her chest. She has a blindfold on her eyes, and she cannot see. We also see a crescent moon in the sky, and a water body behind her. She is faced with decisions (remember the Justice card?) – but she also wants to protect her own heart from the consequences of these decisions. Perhaps, she is also afraid to see what lies ahead of her, and so she has chosen to be, or to remain blindfolded. There are choices available to her, but she knows, that she has no one else to rely on, except for her own intuition. She knows that no matter what decision she takes, she is liable to face the consequences.
My Prediction:
Many of us will find ourselves at cross-roads and at cross-purposes this year. Taking and making decisions will rule our minds – choices will be available: between a rock and a hard place, or between the devil and the deep blue sea. Take your pick! But the main questions that abound will be: ‘Should I choose now?’ and ‘Can I choose now?’. No matter how logical it may or may not sound, it is Intuition which will rule over the mind in the next year.
[Psst: Note how her sitting pose is strikingly similar to the Goddess in the Justice card and the High Priestess card!]
2 of Pentacles:
This card from the Suit of Pentacles shows a young man dressed up in clothes which look funny, but he is definitely not laughing. He is juggling two pentacles within a lemniscate – with boats going up and down on the waves right behind him. The whole juggling the pentacles business is exactly how many of us are going to manage our money this year.
My Prediction:
Many of us will spend time in an endless juggling match – trying to do this thing and that, trying to keep things going. And while this is going on, the emotional ups and downs in the background are not going to ease up on us…Add to this mix the whole career-questions raised in the 2 of Wands and the choices presented to us in the 2 of Swords, this year promises to be one filled with a seemingly endless up and down financial see-saw.
2 of Cups
This card seems to be the most promising one of all. Here, we see a young man and a young woman meeting each other and exchanging cups. Above them rises the face of a lion with wings and a caduceus – passion and healing, combined with an exchange of emotions.
My Prediction:
Many of us will find friends or lovers or significant others in this year. It will be a relationship where the key feature will be sharing of emotions which brings about healing and then leads on to passion.
Alternatively, this card also shows a harmonious partnership at the workplace or business. This kind of partnership is sustainable and creates a positive feel at the workplace.
Some of us may also experience a harmony coming about within the male and female parts of their psyche (the Animus and the Anima).
So, To Sum It All Up…
This year looks good with regards to taking and making balanced and logical decisions – in fact, the favorable decisions made in this year will be those which have been taken with the gut instinct / intuition in consultation. Similarly, in the different aspects of life choices, decisions, harmony and adjustment are the key themes which abound.
Perhaps nothing substantial may occur this year, but this is the year where the foundations are going to be laid out for the fruits of next year. So it is extremely important and essential that things be done right this time!
And so I leave you with a quote from Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar (Act IV, Scene III), which is something which I always follow in my life:
Each card is about 2 ¾ inches wide and 4 ¼ inches tall, with rounded corners. The surface has a smooth finish and the card is thick, but not too thick. The cards shuffle well during readings. 
The Urban Tarot Deck doesn’t come with an LWB, but there is a full-fledged book that you will have to buy separately. The book features full color images of each of the cards on one side, and a detailed description of the card imagery on the other. You will also find information such as the source of inspiration in NYC, and the models who posed for the pictures. Another wonderful thing about the book is that the edges of the pages are colored to sync with the suits — so it makes searching for the card meanings quite easy!
The Cathar Tarot is a new deck that will be released on the 20th of December, 2016. I recieved a copy of The Cathar Tarot from the deck publishers in return for a honest review.
The cards are approximately 3 inches wide and 4.5 inches tall, and have rounded edges. The card stock itself is pretty thick, and so the entire deck is a bit of a thicker pile compared to, say, the Universal Waite Tarot Card Deck.
The back design is pretty, and features the Cathar seal. This is a part of the armorial bearings of the Counts of Toulouse and can be seen in the Languedoc region of France, where the Cathars had their final stronghold. This design is therefore also known as the ‘Cathar Cross’.
The deck is accompanied by a 112-page full color illustrated book.
Ever since I had my first Tarot Card Reading about 10 years ago, I’ve been in love with the Tarot cards. The images, the colors, the art, the swirling magic of the stories that the images seem to tell me — all of it has in turn enthralled, intrigued, befriended, taught and guided me for all these years. However, my curiousity and some really happy coincidences have led to to discover that apart from the Tarot, there are a few more card-based divination systems out there.
Cartomancy is defined as “fortune telling by interpreting a random selection of playing cards”.
Images: None. Just the suit symbols. Face cards (Jack, Queen, King) have images.
The next evolutionary step for Cartomancy was when the 52-card deck was reduced to a 32-card Piquet deck by removing the cards 2s through the 6s.
It can be quite a shift for a very intuitive Tarot Card Reader to pick up these cards and read with them. However, when combined with a Tarot Card Reading, both these card systems play awesomely with each other — giving the reader both the deeper and the more practical messages. This can be advantageous for the client, who ends up benefitting the most from a very informational reading.
The Lenormand cards are a set of 36 cards in no particular order — there is absolutely no significance of why a particular symbol has a particular number like in the Tarot. Each card has the one main symbol on it. The background and other additional imagery carries no weight in the meaning and interpretation of that card. For a very basic spread, the cards are laid out in a single line and read linearly. The card to the right adds value or meaning to the card to its left, and so on. Each card can represent a single word (noun or adjective or verb or adverb) and you string them up to form a sentence which conveys the message. Plus, there is no concept of ‘Reversed Cards’ like with the Tarot. And unlike the Tarot, specific cards are decidedly positive or negative in their impact.
Images: Usually just a single symbol. May contain additional background imagery depending on Deck Theme and Artistic Style. Also may contain the playing card suit insert or name.
My first love. My best love. The Tarot Cards have been the doorway to exploring my intuition. However, they were also a great synthesis of my love for mythology, psychology, art, and symbolism, and the process of interpretation.
Images: Deeply evocative imagery based on Deck Theme and Artistic Style. Full of symbols and hidden meanings. Every aspect of imagery may strike the intuitive-imaginative processes.
For some reason, I could never find myself drawn to these decks — probably because these cards usually have a message printed on them which tends to distract me from getting into the intuitive flow.
Images: Depend on Deck Theme, and Artistic Style. Usually have an insightful or encouraging message printed on the image. Sometimes, its just a keyword.
I discovered these cards through a friend who had seen them when she went for a Reading. I ended up exploring the website and ordering this deck and three more later on. Of course, there are more decks based on different themes, which are totally on my wish list.
Subsequently, several artists have created picture cards of their own, based on different themes, and added to this ‘image library’ and enhanced this deck.
Images: A number of paintings based on the Deck Theme. Different decks can be combined with each other to create a wider theme-palette of images to dive into.
There are all kinds of different ways in which to access the intuition, the imagination — essentially the subconscious mind — using these card-based systems. Of course, these cards may or may not have all kinds of evocative images and artwork. Shuffling, then choosing random cards, and laying these cards out in a layout / Spread for the purposes of divination is a multi-layered system full of variety and innovative methods and tools.
I think it is such an interesting turn of fate that we get drawn to wanting to learn Tarot Card Reading right when we are in the middle of something else, you know, like Life. 🙂 So there we are, wanting to learn Tarot Card Reading while pursuing studies, or working a full-time job, or raising kids.
This list has been compiled with a lot of thought. I’ve either read / written every book / article / resource that I’ve mentioned over here. That is one reason why this list cannot, in any way, be complete. I still have many books sitting on my shelf, waiting to be read. And there are only so many hours in the day when I can read. So, while this list may be big and exhaustive, it is by no means complete. I promise though, that I will keep adding to it as and when I get to reading / writing those books and blog articles. Promise.
All the cards have numbers on them. Naturally, that makes it easier for us to connect them with the occult art of numbers – Numerology.
The mystical and esoteric elements within Judaism are called 
The whole idea of Intuition was introduced to me by my Tarot teacher. She always used to say that Intuition is the first thing that comes to your mind when you see the card. So very true! And it applies not just to the Tarot Cards, but also to different situations in life as well. 
But then again, there can and often are so many other little voices crowding inside of our heads that we often think that they are Intuition. Those are the voices of our fears, the voices of our past experiences, the voices of our own expectations, and so on. All of these different voices can often cause confusion in our minds and cloud the voice of our Intuition.
Well, the cards have pictures on them and these pictures mean something. Plain and simple, you can just see what’s happening in the picture and decipher the meaning. Or you can totally get into the symbolism, the myths, the philosophy, the astrology, the numerology – the whole jing-bang, and then decipher the meaning of the card.
And then there was today morning when I decided to mow the rest of the lawn. I had finished half of it yesterday morning in the heat of the sun, and had decided that I would wait till today evening to do the rest of it because the Sun would not hurt me so much. But then, as I sat on the porch this morning sipping my second cup of coffee and smoking my ciggy, my little voice said to me: ‘The sky looks cloudy – not cloudy enough for it to rain right now, but it will rain in a few hours and it will keep on raining. So, if you want to mow the lawn, better do it now, or else, you won’t have the opportunity for at least a day or two. And then the lawn will be half finished.’ So I got up, and got down to it. I got a few drops of rain on my head just as I was finishing up on the last chunk of grass.
